Slide fastener unit



Dec. 9,1969 w UHRIG SLIDE FASTENERYUNIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 14, 1968 INVENTOR. WILHELM UHRIG ATTORNEY Dec. 9, 1969 w. UHRIG 7 3,432,290

SLIDE FASTENER UNIT Filed March 14, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

WILHELM UHRIG United States Patent (3 Cl. 24205.1 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Novel slide fasteners having coupling links constructed from synthetic plastic filament uniform weft threads and machine for deforming the weft threads into coupling links of the fasteners. Each link is formed by deforming a portion of the weft thread into two cross sectional deformations disposed with the long axis in the direction of the length of the fastener with the link thread being bent into a V out of the plane of the fastener in alternate directions in the region of each cross sectional deformation, so that when the fastener is closed, a transverse tensioning pull causes interengagcment of successive deformations to resist the opening force. The construction permits a thinner, nonbulging, less bulky slide fastener which is more flexible than the prior art fasteners.

This invention relates to slide fasteners, particularly to the link structure thereof.

Particularly, this invention relates to link structures which are formed from the weft threads of the tape. The material of the weft threads is strong synthetic filament material, such as nylon polyphenylene oxide, acetal polyethylene terephthalate, cellulose acetate, Modacrylic and vinyl chloride plastics, which material has a sufficient stiffness, high modulus and resiliency to form tightly interlocking links and is wear and impact resistant to resist breakage.

Slide fasteners having coupling links constructed from plastic weft threads are known. In the prior art, the links are formed by bending the plastic weft threads out of the plane of the slide fastener in alternate directions at the region where the links interengage so that the broad sides of the links are brought together when the slide fastener is closed. In the closed position, the cooperating links of the fastener have a thickness which is three or four times the thickness of the woven tape, which is unsightly in appearance, uncomfortable in the garment and therefore objectionable. This arrangement renders the slide fastener unduly stiff and with a poor interlock which is unable to resist those bursting forces which generally tend to force open the slide fastener.

Another prior art slide fastener is known wherein the links are formed by shaping the plastic weft threads into links and the link portions are disposed in ladder formation between regions of woven tape on either side, and wherein the interengaging portions of the links are in the center of the ladder rungs. These interengaging portions are usually formed by deformation of the plastic material of the rungs under the application of heat and pressure. A woven tape carrying the ladder rungs is folded longitudinally about the middle of the ladder rungs and secured at its woven portions to the broad sides of the conventional supporting tape for the slide fastener. This prior art construction results in a relatively stiff and thick slide fastener which is not desirable.

An object of this invention is to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art slide'fasteners to achieve a more flexible thinner construction.

A further object is to form links of weft threads in novel cross sectional and longitudinal shape which, when interengaged, form a slide fastener thickness which is 3,482,290 Patented Dec. 9, 1969 substantially twice the thickness of the tape and is thinner than the prior art slide fasteners.

Another object is to manufacture links from plastic weft threads which when fastened, form a thin, flexible and non-bulky slide fastener.

Another object is to form links of plastic weft thread which have portions that interlock in a new and secure fashion to resist normally encountered opening forces applied to the slide fastener after it is closed.

A further object is to provide a soft, flexible fastener, resistant to opening forces, which can be manufactured easily and economically on simple, high speed weaving machines. v

Another object is to form a portion of the plastic weft thread into a link having two cross sectional deformations disposed with the long axis of the deformations being in the same direction as the length of the fastener with the link thread being bent out of the plane of the fastener in alternate directions in the region of each cross sectional deformation so that when the fastener is closed, an opening pull causes successive deformations to interengage and resist the opening force.

A further object is to provide a slide fastener wherein the links are formed by shaping weft threads of suitable plastic material in such a manner that very thin weft threads may be used which results in a soft, flexible, strong and nonbulging slide fastener.

Another object is to arrange the several regions of the supporting tape to effectively conceal the slide fastener.

A further object is to provide the weft threads with a deformation which effectively locks the warp threads of the tape to" insure no creeping of the warp threads into the region of the slide fastener.

A still further object is to provide simple and high speed machinery to fabricate the novel slide fastener.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent from the example of the embodiments of the invention described in detail in the following specification and the drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of half of a slide fastener in an intermediate stage of production;

FIGURE 2 shows a section along the line 2-2 in FIGURE 1; 1

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of a preferred embodiment of a slide fastener in the linked or coupled state; but not subjected to stress; 7

FIGURE 4 shows the slide fastener of FIGURE 3 but with normal stressing in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view of another embodiment, a modified form ofthe slide fastener which is provided with covering tapes above and below the links;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view of still another embodiment of slide fastener link with covering tape above and below;

FIGURE 7 is a further embodiment of a slide fastener in the linked state;

FIGURES 8 and 9 are diagrammatic side elecation and plan views, respectively of a machine for producing the slide fastener; and

FIGURES 10 to 13 show details of the machine and materials worked upon during various stages of manufacture.

FIGURE 1 shows the link edge of supporting tape 1. The tape has regions 4 and 5 which consist of warp threads 2 and weft threads 3, woven in the usual manner. The weft threads 3 are formed of a suitable synthetic material of the type already mentioned which can be deformed into the desired shape and retain the shape under working conditions. A preferred plastic material is a stretch-oriented plastic synthetic monofilament, such as nylon, polyethylene, telephthalate (Dacron), and the like materials.

In FIGURE 1, the region 6 is made free of warp threads 2 so that only weft threads are present. Reference numeral 6 designates the portion of threads 3 located in region 6 which forms the link portion of the tape.

Each weft thread is deformed under heat pressure by suitable means to provide deformations or nips 7, 8, and 9. Each deforming step forces a portion of uniform monofilament weft thread into an arcuate deformation having its longer axis in the longitudinal direction of weft threads 3.

As shown in FIGURE 2, the deformations 7, 8 and 9 form depressions which are about half the thickness of weft threads 3 and as shown in FIGURE 1, end deformations 7 and 9 on adjacent threads. This abutment locks the warp threads 2 in side regions 4 and 5 and prevents the warp threads 2 on each side of reigon '6 from creeping into region 6. Thus, region 6 is free from warp threads at all times.

After deformations 7, 8 and 9 are formed in thread portions 6', the portions are bent in the form of a V, substantially perpendicular to the plane of the fastener, to form coupling link 10.

FIGURE 3 illustrates the interlocking or coupling of the two halves of the links, one half being that shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, and the. other half being indentical to the first half but with parts identified by reference numerals as in FIGURE 1 to which the letter a has been added. As shown in FIGURE 3, when link is formed into a V-shape, the deformation constitutes an apex and the deformations 7 and 9 constitute the base at the sides and when links 10 and 10a are interlocked the portions of threads 6' between 7 and 8 and between 9 and 8 on half 1 will interlock with the similar portions between 9:; and 8a and between 8a and 7a, respectively.

FIGURE 4 illustrates the coaction between the deformations on links 10 and 10a when an undesired opening force in the direction of the arrows act upon the slide fastener in a bursting manner. The arrangement of deformations 8, 9, 8a and 9a presents two abutting surfaces resisting the undesired opening forces. Deformation 8a abuts deformation 9, while deformation 9a abuts deformation 8 (FIG. 4).

It should be noted that the overall thickness of the closed slide fastener 1-1a is only about twice the thickness of a single tape.

FIGURE 5 shows the fastener of FIGURES 1-4 provided with a concealing or covering tape 11 and 11a. Tape 11 is secured to the woven regions 4 and 5 by any conventional means, such as by sewing or adhesive bonding, and covers the back of link 10. A similar tape 11a is connected to regions 4a and 5a of means 10! to cover the back of links 10a.

FIGURE 6 shows a further embodiment of a concealed slide fastener. In this embodiment, in contrast to FIG- URE 3, the narrower regions 51, 51a, of the woven tape of the halves of the fastener are folded over the back of the coupling links and are connected to the wider regions 41 and 41a of the woven halves of the fastener in the usual manner. As can be seen from FIGURE 6, regions 6 and 6a extend somewhat beyond the cross sectional deformations 9, 9a, and an additional cross sectional deformation 91, 91a of the weft threads 6' is provided in the form of a depression. Formations 91 and 91a lock the warp threads laterally, as explained above in connection with formations 7 and 9 of FIGS. 1-4, where the regions 51, 51a of the woven tape are folded over.

Whereas the coupling links 10 and 10a are bent in a V-shaped angle perpendicular to the plane of the half of the fastener in the embodiments shown in FIGURES 3 and 6, FIGURE 7 shows an embodiment wherein the coupling links 10 and 10a face each other in the direction of the plane of the particular half of the fastener, the links having V-shaped loops with apexes at 82 and 82a. In this embodiment, the narrower reigons 52, 52a of the woven tape are folded one over the other in such a manner that the cross sectional deformations 72, 72a and 92, 92a in threads 6, which are like deformations 7, 7a and 9, 9a in FIGURES 1-4, lie one above the other in each coupling link. The narrow regions 52, 52a of the woven tape which are folded over lie on the wide regions 42, 42a of the woven tape and are connected to one another at the contact surfaces. The cross sectional deformations 82, 82a, provided in the central region of the free weft threads 6' which were originally flat are positively in engagement 1n the event of tensile forces acting in the plane of the fastener while the outer cross sectional deformations 72, 72a, 92, 92a act as coupling surfaces in the event of stresses perpendicular to and out of the plane of the fasten- FIGURES 8 to 13 show the machine for producing the embodiment shown in FIGS. I4. In the machine which is shown in its entirety in FIGS. 8 and 9, two woven fasten er halves 1, 1a are first introduced into a device 12 for rendering the region 6, 6a free of warp threads to form thread portions 6 and 6 and then travel further through a set of pairs of shaping rolls 13, 14, 15 driven in synchronism, in which the portions '6' and 6a of the weft thread are stamped and formed into the V-shaped coupling links 10, 10a, as will be described herebelow. Rolls 16 are feed rolls. Then the two halves of the fastener are brought together and coupled by means of a coupling shde 17, and thereafter the coupled, finished strips of slide fastener 18 are withdrawn by a pair of delivery rolls 19.

FIGURES l0 and 10a show, diagrammatically, the construction and mode of operation of the warp thread partmg device 12 whereby regions 6 and 6a are formed. The two halves of the fastener 1, 1a shown in plan view in FIGURE 10 are drawn along the stationary parting wedges 121 to 124 which force the warp threads above and below the weft threads apart, and thus provide the regions 6, 6a free of warp threads. Two halves 1, 1a of the fastener, which are still Hat, and the opposed parting wedges 121 and 122 and 123 and 124 are shown in FIGURE 10a.

FIGURE 11 shows the first pair of shaping rolls 13 wherein an upper shaping roll 131 and a lower shaping roll 132 are provided for each half 1, 1a of the fastener. The shaping rolls 131 and 132 comprise sets of annular embossing ribs 134, which are disposed at a distance corresponding substantially to the region 6 and which cooperate with opposed embossing rings 133 on the shapmg roll 131 and 132 to impress the outer cross section deformations 7 and 9 and 7a and 9a on the weft thread portions 6, as shown in FIGURE 11a.

FIGURE 12 shows a further pair of shaping rolls 14 which serves to impress the center cross sectional deformations 8 and 8a, respectively, as shown in FIGURE 12a. Each of the rolls 141, 142 comprises an embossing rib 143 which cooperates with an opposed embossing ring 144.

FIGURE 13 shows a pair of shaping rolls 15, wherein the upper shaping roll 151 and lower shaping roll 152 have embossing ribs 153, 154 of V-shaped cross section and corresponding oppositely located V-shaped embossing recesses 155, 156 to produce the V-shape in threads 6' and 6a to form links 10 and 10a. All of the shaping rolls 131. 132, 141, 142, 151, 152 are heated directly or indirectly so that a hot-shaping or deformation is carried out. The pair of rolls 16 serves only as feed rolls.

While the shaping of deformations 7, 8 and 9 is accomplished above by utilizing the heat effect on thermosetting plastic, it is obvious that the deformations may be accomplished by other means, such as cold deformation of plastic or metallic weft threads, by cutting action, by swaging, or any other type of action suitable to deform or remove material.

Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed for the purpose of illustration, it will be evident that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A slide fastener formed by two interlocking similar sets of links, each set comprising:

a woven tape with plastic weft threads;

each tape having a strip free of warp threads which form a strip of exposed weft thread portions;

each thread portion being in the form of a V which lies in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the tape;

two spaced deformations in the thread portion both of which extend beyond the diameter of the thread, one of said two deformations being at the apex of the V and the other deformation being at the end of a side of the V adjacent a Warp thread;

the Vs of the links of each set when interengaged extending in opposite directions; and

the side of a V in a link of one set engaging the corresponding portion of the side of the V of the adjacent link of the other set between its interengaging deformations to thereby cause the two deformations of each link to abut the two deformations of the adjacent link and resist undesirable transverse tension forces which normally will open the slide fastener.

2. A slide fastener in accordance with claim 1, wherein the other side of the V has a deformation at its end adjacent the warp threads, the end deformations on each link being of sufiicient size to contact the end deformations on the adjacent link thereby forming a barrier to lock the warp threads adjacent the strip.

3. A slide fastener in accordance with claim 1, wherein means is provided to fasten said covering tape to the woven part of the tape of a set and to overlie the strip of exposed Weft thread portions.

4. A slide fastener in accordance with claim 1, wherein the part of the woven tape of a set adjacent one edge of the strip of exposed weft threads is folded back to overlie the strip, and means is provided to fasten said folded part to the other part of the tape adjacent the other edge of the strip.

5. A slide fastener in accordance with claim 2, wherein the part of the woven tape of a set adjacent one edge of the strip is exposed, weft threads are folded back to overlie the strip, and means to fasten said folded part to the other part of the woven tape adjacent the other edge of the strip are provided.

6. A slide fastener in accordance with claim 5, wherein each link has an additional depression located at the folding point adjacent the warp thread.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,258,034 4/1963 Gerlach.

FOREIGN PATENTS 685,145 4/1964 Canada.

BERNARD A. GELAK, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R 24-20512 205.13, 205.16 

